Methods and systems for mobile wimax three-way downlink concurrent processing and three-way handover

• US 8,565,061 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Chin, Tom, Lee, Kuo-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tri H
• Application Number:
  US13/527,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20120257577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-350, 455431-455
• US Class Current: 370/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00692 using simultaneous multiple data streams, e.g. cooperative multipoint [CoMP], carrier aggregation [CA] or multiple input multiple output [MIMO] allocation of physical resources in CoMP or in CA H04L5/0035
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for establishing multiple connections between a wireless device and multiple base stations and transferring data using these connections via different segments of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame are provided. The multiple connections may be used for multi-way (e.g., three-way) concurrent processing, multi-way (e.g., three-way) handover, or a hybrid between concurrent processing and multi-way handover in an effort to increase data throughput for the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

establishing a first connection with a first base station, wherein the first connection involves the transfer of data using a first signal based on a first segment of a frame;

establishing a second connection with a second base station, wherein the second connection involves the transfer of data using a second signal based on a second segment of the frame; and

exchanging data with the first and second base stations via the first and second connections within a time period bounded by the frame, wherein the first and second segments comprise different downlink (DL) data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising concurrently processing the different DL data from the first and second segments.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein concurrently processing comprises adjusting for delays between the first and second signals based on the first and second segments, respectively.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the delays comprise transmission delays between the first and second base stations and/or propagation delays in receiving the first and second signals based on the first and second segments, respectively.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a third connection with a third base station, wherein the third connection involves the transfer of data using a third signal based on a third segment of the frame; and

exchanging data with the first, second, and third base stations via the first, second, and third connections within the time period bounded by the frame.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first, second, and third segments have different downlink (DL) data from three different services.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining signal strength of the first and second signals; and

deleting one of the first and second connections whose signal strength is below a drop threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining signal strength of a third signal based on a third segment of a frame; and

adding a third connection with a third base station if the signal strength of the third signal is above an add threshold and if the third segment uses different subchannel groups than the first or the second segments.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining signal strength of a third signal based on a third segment of a frame; and

replacing one of the first and second connections with a third connection to a third base station if the signal strength of the third signal is above an add threshold and is greater than a signal strength of the first or the second signal by at least a margin.

10. A receiver for wireless communication, comprising:

first connection-establishing logic configured to establish a first connection with a first base station, wherein the first connection involves the transfer of data using a first signal received by the receiver and based on a first segment of a frame;

second connection-establishing logic configured to establish a second connection with a second base station, wherein the second connection involves the transfer of data using a second signal received by the receiver and based on a second segment of the frame; and

data logic configured to exchange data with the first and second base stations via the first and second connections within a time period bounded by the frame, wherein the first and second segments have different downlink (DL) data and the data logic is configured to concurrently process the different DL data from the first and second segments.

11. The receiver of claim 10, wherein the data logic is configured to adjust for delays between the first and second signals based on the first and second segments, respectively.

12. The receiver of claim 10, further comprising third connection-establishing logic configured to establish a third connection with a third base station, wherein the third connection involves the transfer of data using a third signal based on a third segment of the frame and wherein the data logic is configured to exchange data with the first, second, and third base stations via the first, second, and third connections within the time period bounded by the frame.

13. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for establishing a first connection with a first base station, wherein the first connection involves the transfer of data using a first signal based on a first segment of a frame;

means for establishing a second connection with a second base station, wherein the second connection involves the transfer of data using a second signal based on a second segment of the frame; and

means for exchanging data with the first and second base stations via the first and second connections within a time period bounded by the frame, wherein the first and second segments comprise different downlink (DL) data.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising means for establishing a third connection with a third base station, wherein the third connection involves the transfer of data using a third signal based on a third segment of the frame and wherein the means for exchanging data is a means for exchanging data with the first, second, and third base stations via the first, second, and third connections within the time period bounded by the frame.

15. A mobile device, comprising:

first connection-establishing logic configured to establish a first connection with a first base station, wherein the first connection involves the transfer of data using a first signal based on a first segment of a frame;

second connection-establishing logic configured to establish a second connection with a second base station, wherein the second connection involves the transfer of data using a second signal based on a second segment of the frame; and

a receiver front end for receiving the first and second signals from the first and second base stations via the first and second connections within a time period bounded by the frame, wherein the first and second segments comprise different downlink (DL) data.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, further comprising third connection-establishing logic configured to establish a third connection with a third base station, wherein the third connection involves the transfer of data using a third signal based on a third segment of the frame and wherein the receiver front end is for receiving the first, second, and third signals from the first, second, and third base stations via the first, second, and third connections within the time period bounded by the frame.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a program for wireless communication, which, when executed by a processor, performs operations comprising:

establishing a first connection with a first base station, wherein the first connection involves the transfer of data using a first signal based on a first segment of a frame;

establishing a second connection with a second base station, wherein the second connection involves the transfer of data using a second signal based on a second segment of the frame; and

transferring data using the first and second connections within a time period bounded by the frame, wherein the first and second segments comprise different downlink (DL) data.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising concurrently processing different DL data from the first and second segments, wherein concurrently processing comprises adjusting for delays between the first and second signals based on the first and second segments, respectively.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting between the first or the second segment based on a bandwidth grant, wherein the first and second segments are from the same service and have the same downlink (DL) data; and

using the selected segment for wireless communication.

20. A method of wireless communication, comprising:

receiving signals from multiple base stations over multiple segments of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame;

determining one or more of the segments having a best bandwidth of the multiple segments;

determining another one or more of the segments having another best bandwidth of the multiple segments in a different OFDMA frame;

communicating with the one or more of the segments in the OFDMA frame; and

communicating with the another one or more of the segments in the different OFDMA frame.

21. A receiver for wireless communication, comprising:

first connection-establishing logic configured to receive signals from multiple base stations over multiple segments of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame;

data logic configured to determine one or more of the segments having a best bandwidth of the multiple segments, and determine another one or more of the segments having another best bandwidth of the multiple segments in a different OFDMA frame; and

second connection-establishing logic configured to communicate with the one or more of the segments in the OFDMA frame, and communicate with the another one or more of the segments in the different OFDMA frame.

22. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

means for receiving signals from multiple base stations over multiple segments of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame;

means for determining one or more of the segments having a best bandwidth of the multiple segments;

means for determining another one or more of the segments having another best bandwidth of the multiple segments in a different OFDMA frame;

means for communicating with the one or more of the segments in the OFDMA frame; and

means for communicating with the another one or more of the segments in the different OFDMA frame.

23. A mobile device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive signals from multiple base stations over multiple segments of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame;

a processor configured to determine one or more of the segments having a best bandwidth of the multiple segments, and determine another one or more of the segments having another best bandwidth of the multiple segments in a different OFDMA frame; and

a transmitter configured to communicate with the one or more of the segments in the OFDMA frame, and communicate with the another one or more of the segments in the different OFDMA frame.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a program for wireless communication, which, when executed by a processor, performs operations comprising:

receiving signals from multiple base stations over multiple segments of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) frame;

determining one or more of the segments having a best bandwidth of the multiple segments;

determining another one or more of the segments having another best bandwidth of the multiple segments in a different OFDMA frame;

communicating with the one or more of the segments in the OFDMA frame; and

communicating with the another one or more of the segments in the different OFDMA frame.